New Year's Kiss
by MelimeGreenleaf
Summary: Jason misses the holidays, and Pythagoras does whatever he can to help.


They were alone that night, Jason and Pythagoras. Normally, they would exchange friendly words, try to make each other laugh, sit under the moonlight to have meaningful conversations or anything like that, but not that night. Jason was contemplative, and obviously upset for some reason. Pythagoras spent the whole dinner peeking toward Jason, not knowing exactly if he should ask what was happening.

"So be it, I give up. If you will be suffering the entire night I would at least like to know why." Pythagoras finally asked.

Jason pondered for a long moment before answering. "It's nothing really, just that the winter solstice was ten days ago. In the place where I grew up, we had two major festivals during this time. When I realized the date of the first had passed, and I think today was the date of the second."

Jason didn't usually talk about his life before Atlantis, so Pythagoras hesitated to follow questioning. However, he also wouldn't like to leave his friend unhappy if there was anything he could do to avoid. "How is this festival?"

Pythagoras blushed to see that Jason closed his eyes and sighed, dreading having passed some unspoken barrier between them. But Jason had a slight smile when he answered. "It's called New Year's Eve, and is celebrated on the last day of the year. People gather and celebrate, usually with food, alcohol and music. And everyone makes wishes that they want to come true in the next year."

"And this festival is held in Poseideon? But the year ends in Skirophorion, in late spring. This region uses a different calendar?" Pythagoras asked, legitimately curious.

Having still not fully grown accustomed to the Attic calendar, Jason had to stop for a moment to do the conversion. Poseideon was the sixth month, in honor of Poseidon, and marked the end of autumn, corresponding to December and January. Skirophorion was the twelfth month, in honor of Athena, and marked the end of spring, corresponding to June and July. They were still in the middle of Poseideon, so it was no surprise that Pythagoras was confused. "There is a calendar that also has twelve months, but not the same months as here. The year begins in mid-Poseideon, just after the solstice, through January. January has thirty-one days and after comes February with twenty eight, unless it's a leap year, then there are twenty nine, then comes March with thirty-one and around the twentieth is the spring equinox, then comes April with thirty, May with thirty-one, June with thirty and around the twenty-first is the summer solstice, July has thirty-one , August also, September has thirty and the autumnal equinox is near the twenty-third, October has thirty-one and it ends at the end of the Celtic year, November has thirty and December has thirty- one, with the winter solstice around the twenty first."

The amount of information left Pythagoras a bit bewildered, but he would make an effort as this was nothing compared to what Jason had passed when he moved to Atlantis. "Well, we already ate all we could spend today and have no musical instrument, but perhaps there's a little wine that Hercules didn't attack. What else did you do to celebrate?"

This time Jason was blushing. "There's something else, but it's nonsense. It's traditional to kiss someone on the change of the year."

Pythagoras felt the voice falters as he tried to sound casual. "It is? Why?"

Jason shrugged. "For good luck or something. It's just a silly tradition, but people gave it much thought."

Pythagoras looked away, gathering his courage, and tried to convince himself that what he was about to do was a simple act of friendship. "I can do it if you want. With you. If you want. Only if you want. Or not. It's alright . Anyway." And then he had to use all his self-control not to hit his head against the table, because that sounded anything but casual.

Jason froze, unsure as to how to respond. He looked back at him for some sort of confirmation, but Pythagoras kept his eyes fixed on a beetle that was crossing the kitchen. "You don't need to do this for me."

"N-no, it's not like..." Pythagoras started panicking, trying to find a way to erase what he had said.

"…But," Jason continued with a charming smile, "if you want to do this I'd like that.".

Neither was quite sure of what to do. Jason stood first, circling the table, but without moving too close to Pythagoras. Pythagoras completed the distance stopping just a couple of inches from Jason.

"So how is this tradition?"

"It's just a kiss."

The two remained still, none willing to take the risk.

"So that's it?"

"It is."

"Just one kiss?"

"Yes."

"So...?"

"So."

"No big deal, just a kiss."

"Yeah."

"So should I...? Or will you...?"He asked, making vague gestures in the air, and then lost his balance making a broader movement, being supported by Jason.

"Maybe we should stop talking." Jason suggested, getting closer.

"Stop talking, stop talking is good." Pythagoras repeated nervously.

But then Jason's lips were on his and nothing else mattered. At some point his arms wrapped Jason's neck and pulled him closer, but it was an unconscious gesture. As unconscious as Jason pulling him by the waist. After a couple of minutes they moved away. Both were a little embarrassed, having been too eager.

"Is it always traditional to kiss with tongue?" Pythagoras asked, while both awkwardly avoided looking at each other.

"I think it depends on how much you like the person."

"Ah." Pythagoras said, and then his eyes widened when he realized what Jason had said. "Oh!"

"Only one problem, the right thing to do would be kissing at midnight."

"And how will we know when it's midnight?"

"I don't know, you're still working on inventing something to measure time like this."

"We could do this all night and hope to be doing it at the moment."

"I like the way you think."

And that was what they did.


End file.
